After we t00k 0ff and headed f0r Eur0pe acr0ss the Channel therew0uld usually be s0nne0ne wh0 w0uld ab0rt the nnissi0n. This was theternn f0r dr0pping 0ut and g0ing back t0 the field. Usually this wasdue t0 engine tr0uble 0r kn0wing that s0nnething didn't feel Justright with the plane, but we had a few pil0ts wh0 were "chicken" andjust nnade up an excuse, particularly if the nnissi0n was t0 be a l0ng0ne. They didn't stand very high 0n the p0pularity list with the0ther pil0ts. I had nny gr0und crew t0 thank f0r keeping nny plane inexcellent c0nditi0n s0 I never had t0 "ab0rt".

There are a few facts ab0ut the P-51 which I will nnenti0n here. Therewas a lever that c0ntr0lled 0penings that kept the c00lant fr0nnb0iling 0ver while waiting t0 take 0ff and it cl0sed as s00n as y0uwere in the air. The wheels were pulled up as s00n as y0u left thegr0und s0 y0u had t0 rennennber t0 put thenn d0wn again bef0re landing.The f0ur bladed pr0peller was a variable pitch and had t0 be set s0it w0uld bite nn0re air, getting y0u int0 the air faster, clinnbingsteep, then set back t0 the right angle. A snnall tube at the and 0fthe wing ran the wind indicat0r s0 y0u kn0w h0w fast y0u're g0ing.The plane had a c0ckpit heater that didn't always w0rk t00 well andthat was a prinnary c0nnplaint 0f the pil0ts. At 30,000 feet thetennperature c0uld be anywhere fr0nn zer0 t0 nninus 60 degrees s0 y0uneeded all the heat y0u c0uld get. The guns were fired by pressing abutt0n 0n the t0p 0f the stick and we w0uld test thenn 0n the wayacr0ss the Channel t0 be sure they were w0rking. There was a cannerann0unted 0n the wing which w0rked fr0nn the sanne butt0n and it t00kpictures every tinne the gun fired. This verified the enenny planes thepil0ts clainned t0 have destr0yed.